Clamping device for use in splicing line wires



Dec. 26, 1922. LMKIgZfiU C. R. WOOD ET AL. CLAMPING DEVICE FOR USE IN SPLiCING LIVE WIRES.

FILED JUNE 22. 182i. 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Data. 26, 1922. KAQQZUG C R. WOOD ET AL.

CLAMFING DEVICE FOR USE IN SPLICING LIVE WlREs.

FILED JUNE 22, 1921. 2 SHEETS'SHEET 2 195 50 rn/eg EHWTEE STATES w aha o CECIL R. 'WOGLD AND MELVIN T. TIPSORD, 0F TAYLOBVILLE, ILLINOIS.

GLAILIIPING DEVICE FOR USE IN SPLICING- LINE WIRES.

Application filed June 22, 1921. Serial No. 479,702.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CECIL F1001) and MELVIN T. Tirsonn, citizens of the United States, residing at Taylorville, in the county of Christian and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clamping Devices for Use in Splicing Line Wires, of which the following is a specification. 7

This invention relates to a line wire clamping device and is particularly adapted for use in joining the ends of wires carrying high tension currents. These wires carry currents of very high voltage, frequently exceeding thirty thousand volts and the workmen are required to keep from close approach to the wires, the nearest distance of approach permit-ted being usually twelve feet. When a main line wire has broken, it is desirable to splice such wire without shutting off the current, as all branch lines would thus be put out of commission and a large number of towns and villages be deprived of current. In order to accomplish this, the workmen use long poles of specially treated 'wood and the wire is manipulated from the ends of these poles. It is to a clamp adapted to be manipulated by one 01 such poles that the present invention relates.

It is the object of the invention to provide a clamping member which will enable the clamping effect to be produced with the minimum amount of exertion on the part oi the operator and without tearing or abrading the wires or the tubes in which the ends of the wires are usually inserted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a clamping member of the class described which shall provide tor clamping wires of different sectional areas.

With these objects in view the invention resides in a clamping member having the novel features of construction and operating in the manner hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a pole screwed up on the improved clamping member so as to grasp a double tube with the wires therein between two of its clamping arms;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the top part or the pole, showing the clamping member separated;

, Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the clamping members;

Figure 4 is a view on a reduced scale, viewed substantially from the top of Figure 1. and showing a tube held by the clamps and wires about to be inserted into opposite ends of the respective tubes;

Figure 5 shows the position of the parts with two clamping members secured to op posite ends of the tube, one of them being designed to be rotated to twist the tube after the wires have been inserted therein;

Figure 6 illustrates the appearance of the joint after the tube with the wires therein has been twisted; and

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 2 but illustrating a modified construction.

Numeral 1 indicates a pole having a socket member 2 secured on its upper end and provided with a central screwthreaded aperture 3. Mounted on the upper end of the socket member 2 is a thrust'plate 4 on the upper side of which in turn is mounted a ring 5 provided with balls 6 which run in a groove 1n the plate 4. Plate 4 is centrally apertured to correspond with the aperture 3. The numeral 7 indicates a screwthreaded shank having at its upper end a squared portion 8 on which is slidably mounted a lower clamping member 9 and above the squared portion 8 is a second reduced squared portion 10 on which is mounted the upper clamping member 11 which is clamped in position by a nut 12 screwed on a reduced screwthreaded end 13 of the shank. The clamping members are of the -form shown in Figure 8. which illustrates the lower clamping member. Each of these members 9 and 11 is provided with four radially projecting arms 14, each of which arms is provided on its inner face with two transverse grooves 15 for receiving the tube, the grooves 15 being of different sizes in the respective arms to enable the clamp to accommodate difierent sizes of tubes or wires. One of these tubes is indicated in Figure 4 at 16, and consists simply of two copper tubes connected together along their longitudinal extension, in

the manner of the two barrels of a shotgun.

In practice, to join two ends of a wire, a tube is secured between the approprlate arms of the clamping member as shown in Figure 3, and the wires are inserted in the two barrels of the tube from opposite ends. The wires are stretched in the usual way so that the ends project a considerable distance from opposite ends oi. the tube 1.6, as shown in Figure 4:, and then one of the clamping devices isapphed to the one end otthe tube,

that to the left in Figure fl, and by turning the pole 1 the socket member 2 is screwed upon the shankfito cause the ball-bearing thrust plate'to engage the under side of the clamping member 9 to firmly grip the tube 16 and the wires therein. A. second clamping member is then applied to the right end of the tube. This clamping member is to be used to twist the tube and is provided with a short pole 17 about three feet in length, having an eye 18 at its lower end.

Vi ith the parts in. the position shown in Figure :2, while one of the operators holds the pole 1 firmly, another operator uses a pole 19having a hook 20 on its end, and inserts the latter in the eye 18. He then pushes this upward to twist the tube 16 and by repeating this operation "from opposite sides oi the wire, the tube is gradually twisted until it has the appearance shown in Figure 5.

Thisjoint is recognized. as the idealconnection of wires and is not in itself new. However, it has heretofore been found ex tremely diflicultto make this joint in a high tension wire without shutting; off the current. The main difficulty has been that with such clamping members as have been used, one of the members frictionally engages the Wire or the tube in the clamping operation, resulting often in tearing the tube and also in weakening the wire by abrasion, so that the joint was insecure. One of the salient features in the present device is the fact that the two clamping members 9 and 11 cannot rotate relative to each other and the ballbearing thrust plate when the socket member 2 is screwed up on the shank 7 engages the bottom of the lower clamping member without friction and it is very easy to get the maximum clamping effect. with but very little exertion on the part of the operator and without any abrasion whatever on the tubes or wires.

In the modification shown in Figure 7 we dispense with the use of two clampingmembers and employ the top of the head of the pole itself to co-operate with a clamping member having screwthreaded engagement in the end. of the head and interpose between this clamping member and the, top of the head a metalwasher for the purpose of preventing contact of the head with the wire or tube clamped. In saidl igure 7 the numeral 2ft indicates a metal, head mounted on the end of a polev 22;. nd providedwith a screwthreaded aperture 23 opening from its outer lend-and locatcd centrally thereof into which is; screwed a threaded l shank-24 of a clamp 25;. Mounted on the top of. the head 21 to encircle the; stem 24 is a washer 26 which -may be an ord nary flat metal washerv in the for-rugfirT a ring. It will be seen that in the use of this form of the invention, the clamping member 25 is placed over thewire and when the pole 22 is turned the head 21 will be screwed up on the stem at and the wire will be gripped between the washer 26 and the clamping n'ieinber The provision of the washer of course, prevents frictional engagement of the top ol tie head 2i with the wire and thus tends to prevent abrasion of the latter. Furthermore it enables the head 21 to be unscrewed from engagement with the wire without such li v bility to bend and break the wire as occurs when the top of? the head is in direct engagement there with. i

We claim 1. A clamping device for use in splicing .line wires, comprising two clamping members non-rotatable with respect to each other and mounted to have relative movement toward and from each other, a pole on which said clamping member is mounted, and means for moving one of said. clamping members relative to the other.

2. A clamping device for use in splicing line wires, comprising two clamping members non-rotatable with respect to each other, and mounted to have relative movement to ward and from each other, a pole on which said clamping device is adaptedto be mount ed, and means for moving one of said clamping members relative to the other by manipulating said pole.

3. A clamping device-for use in splicing line wires comprising a screw-threaded spindle, a pair of clamping members nonrotatably mounted on one end of said spindle and adapted to have relative movement toward and from each. other, and a pole having a screw-threaded aperture forenga ging the screwthreaded portion oitsaid spindle and adapted by turning to be screwedupward thereon, to bring its end into engagement with one of said cl anipin members whereby upon further turning, to draw the cl ampine; members toward; each other.

4. A. clan'iping device for use in splicing line wires, comprising, a spindle having a screwthreaded end portion, a pair of clamping members non-rotatably mounted on they opposite end portion of said spindle and having relative movement on the spindle toward and from each other, and a .pole having an antiiriction bearing on its end and pro vided with a screwthreaded aperture for engaging" with the screw-threaded portion of said spindle whereby upon turning the pole it willbe screwed upward on said spindle to bring said anti-friction bearing into rotatable engagement with the under side of one of said clamping members wherebyto draw saidv clamping members together.

5. A clamping device for use in splicing line wires comprising two clamping members a plurality of independent c ornple eemeoo imanftai eimupiog seoLioiis provided with cor respoiiiiii (ma es oi different sizes as respects the 'QlGi'Bi} sections, and. means for producing; reimive movement between Hie damping men hers.

6. ii. diam 1 g device for use i splicing; line wires ooi'nprismg two eiampmg members hen in a niurahtv of oomnlementai clamping sections provided with correspondducing relative imwemeni, between the e] naming members.

7. device for use in manipulating line 'i.res comprising a elem 3 ing a, serewthreeded stem,

a pole having a head provided with e serewthreaded aperture reeelving said stem and an anti rietion device mounted. on the top of said head and encircling said stem.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

CECIL VVOGD. MELVIN T. TIPSORD rig member ham I 

